Controlling Workplace Hazards
After reviewing the list of identified hazards with your employees, the next step is to apply effective hazard control strategies to eliminate or reduce risks.
There are two main approaches to minimizing the likelihood or severity of injury:
- Eliminate or reduce the hazard itself
- Eliminate or reduce employee exposure to the hazard
These approaches rely on a structured system known as the Hierarchy of Controls (HOC), which prioritizes control methods based on their effectiveness.
Hazard Control Strategies
Information gathered during a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) becomes most valuable when it leads to the development and implementation of effective control measures.
At its core, hazard control is guided by two fundamental principles:
- Eliminate the hazard whenever possible.
- If elimination isn’t feasible, control employee exposure to the hazard.
It’s always more effective to remove the hazard than to simply control exposure. These principles form the foundation of the Hierarchy of Controls, widely recognized by ANSI/ASSP Z10 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
The Hierarchy of Controls
The six levels of hazard control, ranked from most to least effective, include:
- Elimination: Remove the hazard entirely—this also eliminates exposure and risk.
- Substitution: Replace a high-risk hazard with a safer alternative.
- Engineering Controls: Redesign equipment or processes to isolate people from hazards using barriers, enclosures, or ventilation.
- Warnings: Use signs, labels, alarms, or visual indicators to alert workers of potential risks.
- Work Practice Controls: Implement safe work procedures, training, and policies to minimize exposure.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Use protective gear to prevent contact with hazards when other controls aren’t sufficient.
Following this hierarchy ensures a safer, more sustainable approach to risk management, significantly reducing the chance of injury or illness.
Interim Measures
Sometimes, higher-level controls aren’t immediately possible. In these cases, interim measures can be applied as temporary solutions to protect employees until a permanent fix is implemented.
These may involve a combination of lower-level controls, such as PPE and work practice changes. OSHA emphasizes that feasible interim solutions should always be in place while long-term controls are developed.